Nanded train: Mittal accused of claiming undue credit

Punjab Congress vice-president and former legislator Rana KP Singh on Wednesday accused state industries and commerce minister Madan Mohan Mittal of claiming undue credit for the Anandpur Sahib-Nanded train that will begin its run on Thursday.

Speaking with the media here, Rana said the credit belonged to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government first and then former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. The train would link Takht Kesgarh Sahib with Takht Hazur Sahib, following the efforts of Anandpur Sahib member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu, he added.

"Since the Punjab government has no role in the starting of the train, Madan Mohan Mittal had no right to claim credit for it," said Rana. "The state leaders who accuse the Centre of discriminating against Punjab now claim credit for the Centre's projects," said the former legislator.

The railway ministry had chosen MP Bittu to flag off the train from Anandpur Sahib on October 3, said Rana. The train will depart from Nangal Dam at 4.20pm every Thursday and reach Anandpur Sahib at 4.38pm, Rupnagar at 5.16 pm, and Nanded on Friday (11.45pm) after passing through SAS Nagar, Chandigarh, Ambala, Panipat, New Delhi, Mathura, Agra Cantt, Gwalior, Jhansi, Beena junction, Bhopal, Habibganj, Itarsi, Khandwa, Malikpur, Akola junction, and Purna.